Gas producer plow arm latch



June 9, 1942. A. K. BRADLEY GASPRODUCER PLOW ARM LATCH Filed April 26 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z w L m E. m ,R TM 0 mg M W aw N .AY B

June 9, 1942. A. K. BRADLEY 2,286,054

GAS PRODUCER PLOW ARM LATCH Filed April 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ANS 01v K. BRADLEY W AT TOR NE Y Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Morgan Construction Company,

Worcester,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 26, 1940, Serial No. 331,707

10 Claims.

This invention relates to gas producers, and more particularly to gas producers of the type having a revoluble plow which can be held stationary at intervals in order to discharge ashes from the producer.

In gas producers of this type certain difficulties have been encountered. The plow exerts a heavy pressure against its restraining means, and with constructions heretofore proposed a considerable force is required to release the plow when sufficient ashes have been removed. This renders it more difficult to control the ash removal by automatic devices, since such devices are usually of rather light construction in order to ensure the desired sensitivity. In the event of clinker formation in the fuel bed the plow may exert so great a pressure against the restraining means as to break expensive parts. Certain prior mechanisms include parts which swing outwardly through a considerable angle with great rapidity when the plow is released and hence are dangerous to the operators.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide a gas producer so constructed and arranged that the ash plow will be firmly restrained and yet can readily be released by a relatively small force when desired.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a gas producer having a comparatively simple, inexpensive, and dependable mechanism which will support the ash plow against the force normally encountered during the discharge of the ashes and which will. nevertheless yield in the event the force becomes excessive, and thus prevent damage to the various parts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a gas producer having a plow controlling mechanism which will present comparatively little hazard to the operators.

With these and other objects in View, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the plow-controlling mechanism of a gas producer, with the parts in position to restrain the movement of the plow;

Fig. 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a view in section on the line 33 of Fig.

Fig. 4 i a view in section on the line 44 of Fig. 3-;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the parts in position to release the plow in the normal operation of the producers; and

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 1, with the parts in position to release the plow as a result of abnormal forces caused by clinkers or otherwise.

The embodiment illustrated comprises the shell l (Fig. 2) of a well-known type of gas producer having an ash pan I l and an ash plow (not shown) of the usual construction provided with an arm 52 which extends outwardly above the rim of the ash pan. These various parts are all arranged to rotate about a vertical axis in known manner. By restraining the movement of the arm l2, the plow will be held stationary and ashes will be discharged from the producer. A construction of this general type is more fully disclosed in the United States patent to Crosby No. 1,822,885, granted September 15, 1931.

At one side of the producer there is provided an upright column I4 which serves as a support for the plow controlling mechanism. This mechanism comprises a bearing bracket bolted to the column l4 and carrying a vertical pin [6 on which an idler roller 18 is mounted, this roller being positioned close to the path of the outer end of the arm IE to guide the arm and prevent rubbing or friction between the arm and the bracket. The bracket also serves to support a horizontal rotatable shaft I9 extending in a generally radial direction with respect to the arm l2 and having its inner end portion located above the path of the arm. To this inner end of the shaft !9 there is keyed a latch having a depending hook or shoulder 2| (Fig. i) arranged to engage the front surface of the arm l2, this shoulder being located somewhat beyond the center of the shaft so that only a comparatively slight rotation of the shaft is required to release.

the latch. To the outer end of the shaft 19 there is keyed a hub member 23 having an arm 24 extending downwardly therefrom and an arm 25 extending forwardly therefrom, the arm 25 having a weight 26 mounted thereon. This weight tends to turn the shaft 19 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and thereby hold the latch 20 engaged, but the weight is comparatively small, and the pressure of the arm !2 against the latch will readily lift the latch and allow the arm to pass beneath the same.

Releasable means is provided to hold the latch in its operative position despite the pressure normally exerted thereon by the plow arm l2. For

this purpose a hub 28 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 99 between the hub 23 and the bracket 15, this hub 28 having a forwardly projecting arm or lever 29 thereon to which an extension 30 is bolted. The extension 30 carries a relatively heavy weight 32. The arm 29 is supported against the downward force of this weight 32. by means of an adjustable screw 33 mounted in a bracket 34 secured to the column M. An arm 36 extends downwardly from the arm 29 some distance in front of the hub 23, the lower end of this arm 36 being connected by a pin 31 to the front end of a link 38. The rear end of this link is connected by a pin 49 tothefront enclof a second link ll the rear end of which is connected by a pin 62 to the lower end of the arm. 24. The rear link M is provided with a forwardly projecting lug M which carries a set screw 45 arranged to engage the upper surface of the front link 33 and to limit the downward movement of the central pin l!) to a point very slightly beneath the line joining the pins 31 and 42. This construction provides a toggle linkage which, when in its locked or over center position, prevents release of the latch 28 unless the pressure of the arm 52 thereagainst becomes so excessive as to overcome the leverage afforded by the heavy weight 32 and its associated parts.

Power-actuated means is provided to break the toggle and thereby release the plow after it has been held stationary for a desired period. For this purpose 9. lug 41 is formed on one of the toggle links (in the present case the front link 36) directly beneath the central pin Mi. Beneath this lug there is provided a vertically reciprocable abutment 48 arranged to be actuated by a hydraulic mechanism 58 driven by an electric motor these parts being supported on a bracket 52 secured to the column M. The mechanism 56 is so constructed that when the motor 5| is energized the abutment 48 will be moved upwardly, lifting the lug Q1 and the pin 4t, and upon de-energization of the motor the abutment will descend by gravity to its original position. A suitable construction for the mechanism Ell is disclosed in the United States patent to Driesch No. 2,036,798, granted April '7, 1936. Energization of the motor 5! may be controlled manually, but it is preferred to employ automatic switches for this purpose so constructed and arranged that the plow will be held stationary for a predetermined period during each revolution of the producer. One suitable arrangement of switches is disclosed in the above-mentioned patent to Crosby.

If the supply of electricity for the motor '5! should fail, the latch would not be released auto matically, and the plow would remain in continuous operation. Means is therefore provided whereby the operator may render the latch inoperable, thereby stopping all plowing until the electricity supply has been restored. For this purpose the arm 25 is formed with a lug 54 which overlies the arm 29 and carries an adjustable screw 55. By first breaking the toggle and then adjusting this screw downwardly into engagement with the arm 29, the operator can prevent the toggle from locking. Thus at each revolution of the producer the arm l2 will simply lift the latch and pass beneath the same without stopping.

The operation of the invention. will now be apparent from the above disclosure. The arm I2 will revolve with the ash pan ll until it reaches the latch 20, which will be held in the path of the arm by the toggle links 38 and il acting through the arm 2 5 and the shaft I9, these links being in their locked position as shown in Fig. 1. During such time as the plow arm i2 is held stationary by the latch, ashes will be plowed from the producer in known manner. When it is desired to cease plowing, the motor 5! will be energized, either manually or automatically, and the abutment 18 will be raised by the resulting operation of the hydraulic mechanism 56 into engagement with the lug ti to elevate the same and break the toggle. As soon as the central pin 48 is slightly above the line joining the pins 38 and ii, the toggle will collapse under the pressure of the plow arm against the latch, lifting the latch and the weight as indicated in Fig. 5. This will allow the plow arm to revolve with the ash pan, and the plowing will stop. The motor 5| will then be tie-energized, and the parts will return by gravity to their original positions. If during the plowing operation the pressure against the latch should become excessive, by reason of clinker formation in the fuel bed or otherwise, the arm 2% and the weight 32 will be lifted, as shown in Fig. 6, allowing the plow arm to pass beneath the latch and avoiding breakage of the various parts. During the plowing of the ash, the arm i2 will ordinarily be held outwardly against the roller it by the forces acting on the plow, and this roller will reduce the friction so that the arm will start to revolve immediately when the latch is released. Only a slight upward force is required to raise the lug 41 and break the toggle; hence a comparatively small hydraulic mechanism 56 can be utilized. Since the weight 26 moves upwardly only a short distance when the latch is released, there is no danger to the operators. The entire mechanism is simple, rugged, and dependable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

1. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a revoluble plow arm, a releasable latch to restrain the arm, and an anti-friction roller arranged to be engaged by the outer end of the arm while the arm is restrained by the latch.

2. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a revoluble plow arm, a releasable latch to restrain the arm, and an anti-friction roller located adjacent the outer end of the arm while the arm is restrained by the latch, the roller being arranged to support the arm against outward radial movement.

3. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a revoluble plow arm, a releasable latch to restrain the arm, power-actuated means to release the latch, and supporting means for the latch arranged to yield independently of the power-actuated means in the event the pressure of the arm against the latch exceeds a predetermined value.

4. An ash removal mechanism for a a gas producer or the like comprising a revoluble plow arm, a latch to restrain the arm, a toggle linkage connected to the latch and arranged when locked to hold the latch in the path of the arm, and means to unlock the toggle linkage and thereby release the latch.

5. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a revoluble plow arm, a releasable latch to restrain the arm, a toggle linkage connected to the latch and arranged when locked to hold the latch in the path of the arm, means to unlock the toggle linkage and thereby release the latch, and supporting means for the toggle linkage arranged to yield in the event the pressure of the arm against the latch exceeds a predetermined value.

6. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a revoluble plow arm, a releasable latch to restrain the arm, a toggle linkage having a locked position, means connecting one end of the toggle linkage to the latch to hold the same in the path of the arm when the linkage is locked, supporting means for the other end of the toggle linkage arranged to yield in the event the pressure of the arm against the latch exceeds a predetermined value, and means to unlock the toggle linkage and thereby release the latch.

'7. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a plow arm revoluble in a horizontal plane, a latch arranged to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis and having a shoulder movable into and out of the path of the arm, the shoulder being located beyond the axis in the direction of arm movement so that only a comparatively slight pivotal movement of the latch is required, and actuating mechanism for the latch.

8. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a plow arm revoluble in a horizontal plane, a latch arranged to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis and having a shoulder movable into and out of the path of the arm, the shoulder being located beyond the axis in the direction of arm movement so that only a comparatively slight pivotal movement of the latch is required, the axis being displaced vertically from the path of the arm so that the pressure of the arm against the latch will tend to turn the latch about its axis, and releasable means to prevent such turning movement of the latch. v

9. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a plow arm revoluble in a horizontal plane, a substantially horizontal shaft extending in a generally radial direction with respect to the arm, a latch secured to the inner end portion of the shaft and arranged to restrain the movements of the arm, an arm secured to the outer end portion of the shaft, a toggle linkage connected to the lastmentioned arm and having a locked position, the toggle linkage when locked serving to prevent the shaft from turning by reason of the pressure normally applied by the plow arm to the latch, and means to unlock the toggle linkage and thereby release the latch.

10. An ash removal mechanism for a gas producer or the like comprising a plow arm revoluble in a horizontal plane, a substantially horizontal shaft extending in a generally radial direction with respect to the arm, a latch secured to the inner end portion of the shaft and arranged to restrain the movements of the arm, an arm secured to the outer end portion of the shaft, a toggle linkage connected at one end to the last-mentioned arm and having a locked position, the toggle linkage when locked serving to prevent the shaft from turning by reason of the pressure normally applied by the plow arm to the latch, a weighted lever connected to the other end of the toggle linkage to support the same under normal conditions and yet yield if the pressure of the plow arm against the latch becomes excessive, and means to unlock the toggle linkage and thereby release the latch.

ANSON K. BRADLEY. 

